Mayor Bill de Blasio tapped union allies and his under-fire fundraising entity, Campaign for One New York, to push through the administration’s affordable housing plan in the City Council, according to filings that will be provided to the state.
Campaign for One New York — which de Blasio set up in 2014 but that’s now under investigation for questionable fundraising practices — contributed $150,000 to United for Affordable NYC, which has raised $390,000 since it was set up in February, Politico reported.
The mayor shut down Campaign for One New York earlier this year, saying its mission was over.
According to Politico, United for Affordable NYC’s other donors were unions with close ties to City Hall, including the United Federation of Teachers ($125,000), the municipal union District Council 37 ($30,000) and health care workers’ union 1199 SEIU ($25,000).
In addition, the Hotel Trades Council and a local hotel workers’ union kicked in $50,000, and the Building Trades Employers’ Association and developer Jani Real Estate LLC (run by Stanley Perelman) each contributed $5,000.
Most of the money — some $372,500 — was spent on advertising, and $20,000 went to Metropolitan Public Strategies, headed by the former chief of staff for Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, Neal Kwatra. [Politico] — E.B. Solomont